Electric locomotive



(No Model.) r2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

G. J. VAN DEPOELE. ELECTRIC LOGQMOTIVB.

No. 403,011. Patented lMay 7,1889.

N. PETERS. Fhatmuuwgnphar. wnhingwn. Il4 C4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

' C. J. VAN D BPOELB.

ELBGTRIC LOGOMOTIVE.

110. 403,011. Patented May 7,1889.

lIIIIIlIIIIIl||l|||||||| IMI 1.

WMM/wow @fvwm/woz wm l Charles. J VZznfe/Joeie- 0L @21% fue 1mm/mfr,

N. PETERS. mno-umgmpner. wnsnmgm". u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,011, dated May '7, 1889.

Application filed February 12, 1889. Serial No. 299,591. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VAN DE- iDOELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Locomotives, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in electric locomotives, the construction, operation, and details of arrangement of which will be hereinafter fully set forth and described, and referred to in the appended claims.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure l is a view in elevation showing an electrically-propelled locomotive constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the motor-supporting bearing or sleeve. Fig. 4 -is an end elevation on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the motor, one of the driving-wheels, and a part of the driving connections and bearings, being taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing one. of the bearings of the axle of the driving-wheels. Fig.

`7 is a sectionalplan view on the lin'e 7 7 of Fig. G.

imilar letters denote like parts throughou As illustrated in the drawings, A represents a simple form of platform-car, all housings and other features of construction not contributing to the efliciency or operation of the device for the purpose for which it is constructed being, for convenience of illustration, omitted. At about the center of the platform A are located a single pair of driving-wheels, B B, which are mounted upon a suitable axle, C, and provided with drivingpulleys h, whichmay be provided with ordinary gearteeth or their equivalent, and formed on the interior faces of the said driving-wheels I3 or separately mounted upon the axle C. The main side frames of the platform A are preferably formed of beams D, of angle-iron, that portion of the lower flanges of which directly above the said driving-axle is apertured or recessed to receive receptacles for the main axle C in the form of verticallymoving bearings (l, suitable guides for which are provided in the form of a strong metallic frame, E, having parallel down wardly-extend ing side walls, e e, and strong flanges or lateral extensions E', fitted to the web and ilange or flanges of the side frames, D, to re-enforce them about the parts cut away to receive the frame E.

Between the upper surface of the bearing CZ and the upper flanges of the side frames is placedasuitable spring,which may be a block of rubber, F, or any known equivalent therefor. It will thus be seen that the side frames of the platform A press directly upon the bearing d upon the main axle through an interposed spring or cushion, F. The weight from both ends of said platform is thus` thrown upon the driving axle, concentrating the weight and developing the greatest tractive power in the driving-wheels. Cross-beams G G are secured to the side frames, D, and extend transversely of the platform on both sides of the driving-wheels.

Draw-bars g g, provided w ith suitable drawheads, g g', are pivotally attached at the centers of the cross-beams G G and extend forward to the ends II H of the platform, where they are suitably supported by horizontal guides h, in which they are allowed an ample lateral movement. A second set of crossbeams, I I, are located between the cross-bars G and ends H, and at points equidistant from said cross-bars G. To the lower central portion of the bars I are secured a second set of horizontal guides, h', within which the draw-bars are inclosed, and by which their lateral movement is restricted within the limits of safety. Downwa-rdly-projecting stops h2 are formed upon the ends of the guides 71. or may be separately provided, and will be hereinafter referred to.

The end portions of the platform A are supported and plunging of the platform prevented by two pairs of wheels, J J, which are located directly below the cross-bars I I, and are arranged to support the ends of the platform A and prevent plunging or pitching, and at the same time to take as little of the weight away from the centrally located drivingwheels as is compatible with the desired support. The wheels J J are both secured to the central part of the structure, being connected to a pivot, J provided below the driving-axle IOO attached the outer extremities of triangular or V-shaped connecting-frames K, the apexes of which are pivotally mounted upon the central pivot, J The wheels J are rotatably mounted upon their axles j, thereby giving the vehicle as a whole a much freer and unrestricted movement on curves. Between the extremities of the connecting-frames K are placed stout metallic bars lz, which may be attached to the axlesj, or, as indicated, held in position bythe clips 7c', by which the extremities of the frames K are secured to the axles.

From the central port-ion of each of the bars k are attached leaf-springs L, which extend upward and engage the under side of the cross-bars l, which should be provided with protective metallic plates l of sufficient width to form a track against which the extremities of said springs may bear as the car is swung from side to side. The clip-plates L, employed in attaching the springs Lto their support, are formed of such a size that when moved laterally in either direction the desired distance they will engage the stops or projections 7f3 and serve to limit the lateral movement of the platform A with respect to the wheels J J.

In addition to the verticallyacting supporting-springs L, lateral springs M are provided, said springs being attached to a projecting portion, in, of the supporting-plates k and secured at their outer ends to the side frames, D, of the platform. The springs M are of suitable material and strength and serve to limit the lateral movement of the platform A with respect to its supportingwheels J, and also to return said platform to the line of the track and keep it as nearly as possible coincident therewith, the result of this iiexibility of movement being that all binding, twisting, or clamping of the drivingwheels is avoided, and the said dri vin g-wheels operated substantially as though the platform were supported on a single pair of centrallylocated wheels only.

Additional safety-chains N may be provided, said chains being' conveniently attached to the extensions m, and extending thence to the side frames, l), the length of said chains being limited to the length or distance to which it is practicable to extend the springs M without injury. It will be obvious, however, that the stops h2 and L will operate as a safety device in substantially the manner of the chains N, and in practice one or other of said devices may be omitted.

The device by which the propelling-power is imparted to the driving-wheels consists of an electro-dynamic motor, O, which may be of any desired form, the one described in my previous Letters Patent, No. 347,902, August 24, 1886, being shown by way of illustration. The motor is arranged transversely of the platform A, so that its armature-sl1aft P shall be in the same horizontal pla-ne as and preferably vertically over the drivingaxle C. The extremities of the armature-shaft P are provided with geanpinions j), arranged to cngage the gear-pullcys l on the driving-axle.

In order to support the motor in the most advantageous working relation with the driving-axle, and so that the weight of said motor shall be carried upon said axle, in order that they can move together without material hinderance on account of the vibration or swinging of the body of the car, and so preserve their operative relationship unchanged, l provide a bearing-box, Q, of substantially the length of that portion of the axle C between the driving-gears l) l). The box Q rests directly upon the axle and should be lined with Babbitt or antifriction metal forming a good bearing-surface. At one end of the box Q is provided an upward ly-extendin g post, q, the upper extremity of which supports the outer beariug,R, of the armature-shaft. dThe opposite end of the box Q is provided with an extended portion, q', upon which rests an extension or foot, Q, formed upon or attached to the central portion of the field-magnet of the motor.

The motor when attached to the post q and extension q is firmly secured upon the box Q and in operative relation with the drivingwheels. The box Q is completed and the axle C entirely inclosed by means of a lower portion, Q', bolted thereto and provided with a downwardly-extending extension forming the pivot J hereinbefore referred to.

To prevent the motor plunging or pitching forward and backward upon its supports, as would otherwise result from the motion of the platform A, it is provided with strong metallic projections or lugs S S, extending in front and rear thereof and parallel with and but a short distance above the upper surface of the platform A, or, as indicated, the cross-bars G G. Sprin or elastic cushions T T are placed upon the extensions S, and vertical bolts t t, each provided with a suitable washer, U, and adjustingnut, passed upward through the cross-bars G, the cushions T, washers U, and adjusting-nuts t, by which the tension of the springs or cushions T can be varied according to Circumstances.

With this construction it will be understood that my improved electric locomotive comprises a platform, A, at the center of which is mounted a single pair of drivin g-wheels, upon the axle of which is supported an electric motor, the armature-shaft of which is mechanically connected therewith. Springs are interposed between the bearings of the platform and the driving-axle C, and similar springs are interposed between the motor and the platform, so that the jarring and vibration of the platform when passing over rough track will be modified. It will be obvious, however, that the springs both under the motor and platform might be dispensed with entirely without aifecting the result. The balanced platform is supported at each end by the in dependently-journaled pairs of wheels, each pair being pivotally connected to a center unn IOO IIO

der the driving-axle, so that the utmost iiexibility in the wheel-base is attained. The drawbars are likewise pivotally attached to portions of the frame of the car, so that it may turn the sharpest curves practicable for ordinary rolling-stock without difficulty.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, 1s

l. An electric locomotive comprising a platform or vehicle, a single pair of driving-wheels centrally located thereunder, and an electric motor, the armature-shaft of which is mechanically connected with the said driving-wheels by suitable gearing, and which is supported upon the axle thereof in positive relation thereto, substantially as described.

2. An electric locomotive comprising a platform or vehicle, a pair of centrally-located driving-wheels, an electric motor supported in a normally-vertical position upon the axle of said driving-wheels, and positive mechanical connections between the armature-shaft of the motor and the axle of the drivingwheels, substantially as described.

3. An electric locomotive comprising a car or platform, a single pair of centrally-located driving-wheels, the motor located above the driving-wheels, an elongated box or bearing upon the driving-axle, and supports extending between the said box and the frame of the motor, substantially as described.

4. An electric locomotive comprising a car or platform, a single pair of centrally-located driving-wheels, spring-bearings between the platform and the extremities of the drivingaxle, a motor supported upon the axle of the driving-wheels, and spring-connections between the frame ofthe motor and the platform of the car, substantially as described.

5. An electric locomotive comprising a car or platform and a centrally-located pair of drivin g-wheels, a pair of auxiliary supportingwheels under the front and rear portions thereof, and pivotal connections between the auxiliary supporting-wheels and the axis of the driving-wheels, whereby free lateral movement is permitted to the ends of the platform, substantially as described. i

6. In an electric locomotive, the combination of the car or platform A, centrallylocated driving-wheels, metallic frames K, connected to the axles thereof and pivotally attached at the center of the vehicle, auxiliary supporting-wheels secured to the extremities of the frame K, and upwardly-acting springs carried by the axles of the auxiliary wheels between the axles of` the auxiliary wheels and the ends of the platform, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a platform, A, centrally -located driving wheels, supportingwheels J J, pivoted connecting-frames K, and the lateral springs M, substantially as described. l

8. The combination of the platform A, the central driving-wheels, the auxiliary supporting-Wheels J J, and pivoted connectingframes K K, and the lateral springs M, and guard-chains N, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the platform A, centrally-located driving-wheels B B, supportingwheels J J, rotatably mounted upon axles j j, and frames K, rigidly secured to said axles and pivotally connected at the central point of the platform A, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the platform of a carV and centrally located driving wheels thereunder, supporting-wheels sustaining the end portions thereof and pivotally connected to the center of said platform and attached to axles j, tracks located above the auxiliary supporting-wheels and devices extending upward fromthe axles th ereof and resting against said tracks, and laterally-acting springs secured tov the platform and to the auxiliary wheels, whereby said wheels are normally retained in central positions beneath the platform, substantially as described. v

l1. The combination of the platform A, having centrally-located driving-wheels, supporting-wheels J J, connecting-arms K, pivotally connected at the center of the platform and rigidly attached to axles j, supporting the Wheels J, supporting-plates c, located above said axles j, and provided with extensions m, vertically-acting springs L, mounted upon said plates, and laterally-acting springs M, attached to the extensions m, substantially as described.

IOO

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CI-IARLES J. VAN DEPOELE. Witnesses:

W. A. SrILEs, JOHN EAsoN. 

